Russian Flag Day

10.02.2017

The Old Arbat Street (part 2)

17.02.2017

Vysotsky’s “Song About a Friend”

Владимир Высоцкий (Vladimir Vysotsky, 1938-1980) was a Soviet singer, poet and actor. He became wildly know for his unique way of singing, treating serious social and political problems with a ferocious humour.

Vysotsky said once about his songs: “Many years ago I was with my closest friends, relating them about my various journeys, well mostly my perceptions put in verses with a sort of a rhythm. So I took my guitar and started to play. And what came out of this was a kind of a song. But it wasn't a song. It was, as I understood it later, poetry recited with musical accompaniment. I remember the atmosphere at that time. It was an atmosphere of confidence, freedom, and what is the most important, friendship.”

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Песня о друге (Song about a friend) was written in 1966.

Если друг оказался вдруг

If your friend suddenly appeared

И не друг, и не враг, а – так,

Not a friend, not a foe, – just so

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Если сразу не разберёшь,

If you cannot decide from the start,

Плох он или хорош,-

If he is bad or if he is good,

Парня в горы тяни - рискни!

Take him to the pick – don't fret!

Не бросай одного его,

Don't leave him alone,

Пусть он в связке в одной с тобой –

Let him be one with you -

Там поймёшь, кто такой.

And you'll know who he is.

Если парень в горах - не ах,

If the guy gets scared on the track,

Если сразу раскис и - вниз,

If he gets weak and looses heart,

Шаг ступил на ледник и - сник,

And steps back on the ice, and get lost,

Оступился - и в крик,-

If he stumbles and screams out of exhaustion,

Значит, рядом с тобой - чужой,

Then next to you, you have a stranger,

Ты его не брани - гони:

Don't yell at him, just let him go:

Вверх таких не берут, и тут

Such persons you don't need, and in short

Про таких не поют.

You don't sing for those guys.

Если ж он не скулил, не ныл,

If the guy didn't whine nor complain,

Пусть он хмур был и зол, но - шёл,

And dull and upset he kept going,

А когда ты упал со скал,

And when you slipped over the cliff,

Он стонал, но - держал,

He struggled but hold you in his grip,

Если шёл за тобой, как в бой,

If he walked next to you as a good soldier,

На вершине стоял хмельной,-

And on the top he stood tipsy,

Значит, как на себя самого,

Then you know you can trust him,

Положись на него.

As you trust yourself.

Vladimir Vysotsky, 1938-1980…